Baby steps to better foods #1 ............part 2

[Tina]

Your best option, and cheapest by far is to make your own. If you are intrested, I can find you a good link or explain my method.

Sarah, I would need a yogurt maker. No part of my house stays at an even temperature. My oven doesn't have a pilot light. It is very, very cool in here until summer. Then it is very, very warm and drafty at all times.

[Tina]

I thought you were here asking about fennel a while ago. If there was anyway to use it where you wouldn't have to taste it. Isn't that the one that tastes like licorice?

[bestofour]

soak the flour too?

maybe it's not fennel. I'm going to  look.

[barleychown]

Your best option, and cheapest by far is to make your own. If you are intrested, I can find you a good link or explain my method.

Do you have a crockpot and a thermometer? Or an ice chest?
Sarah, I would need a yogurt maker. No part of my house stays at an even temperature. My oven doesn't have a pilot light. It is very, very cool in here until summer. Then it is very, very warm and drafty at all times.

Do you have a crockpot and a thermometer? Or a small ice chest?

[bestofour]

not fennel, flax seed

[barleychown]

I thought you were here asking about fennel a while ago. If there was anyway to use it where you wouldn't have to taste it. Isn't that the one that tastes like licorice?

Yep. The goats loved it.

[barleychown]

Flax seed is good.  I grind mine up, but some people eat them whole.

Soak the flour too.

[bayou girl]

oh, sarah, you reminded me.  i knew there was something about fennel.  isn't that similar in taste to licorice?

[Tina]

I was reading that whole flax seed doesn't digest. It just goes right through without benefit. I read that right after adding it whole to something I baked.

[Tina]

oh, sarah, you reminded me.  i knew there was something about fennel.  isn't that similar in taste to licorice?

Funny, I just asked that a few posts up.

[barleychown]

VERY much so. Fennel seeds drive me batty...and ruin lasagna for me.

[bayou girl]

ok.  so fennel and anise are similar in taste?

[Jessica]

Tina, I too have always heard that flax seed is better ground up.  I run mine through the coffee grinder for a bit.

[bestofour]

I just read the pancake recipe and it says rolled oats.  Is it going to work for stone ground just the same.  And I put only enough buttermilk to cover the oaks and flour.  The stuff isn't floating in milk.

I'll ground the flax

[Dianna]

I get my flax seed oil in a capsule form. Is that okay? I don't like the taste of flax seed...

[Tina]

flax seed oil is good, Dianna. 
And stone ground or steel cut oats will work, Sheri.

[bestofour]

Johnny says he's not eating oatmeal pancakes so they'll be all mine.

[Tina]

Too bad. He'll be sorry. Even picky Jonni likes them.

[Jessica]

Sheri, he wouldn't even know they were oatmeal pancakes if you didn't tell him.  Tristen is a very picky eater and he loves them!

[Dianna]

Thank you, Tina. I know that when I took the capsules before that it was great for lowering my blood pressure. It worked a little too well back then. I had to come off of them. Since I have had the stroke though, I wanna get that pressure back where it should be, with as few drugs as possible. Presently I am taking two different BP medicines. It would be great if the flax seeds lowered my bp enough now for me to come off the meds...

[bestofour]

Johnny doesn't try new food.  He won't eat them.

Dianna, I would like you to get off those meds too.  Are you still using your treadmill?  Off topic.  Guess we should discuss this elsewhere.

[barleychown]

I'll post three baby steps at a time, and we can all work on them together and post our comments, progress and questions.

The first three baby steps:


1. Switch the fats you use to a more traditional fat- coconut oil, lard, butter, tallow, ghee, palm oil, olive oil.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season for this month.

3. Move to consuming the best quality dairy that you can find &/or afford. This includes kefir, yogurt and other cultured products.

How is everyone doing with these?

[Tina]

I bought goat milk this week. I haven't had any for years. It is ultra pasteurized though. I drank some last night and the taste was fine. It didn't feel bad going down or leave an aftertaste. But it did leave me a dry mouth, cotton mouth feeling. I really wanted to chase it with a coke. The dry mouth was instant with the first sip. And I had to bolt the rest of the cup I poured. more dry mouth.
I will have to use it in something, cooking or on top of my oatmeal or something. Just drinking it didn't work well for me.
I still have not used my coconut oil yet. But I think I am making salmon patties for dinner so I will then.
Fruits and vegetables are easy for me. I buy, use and eat lots. Green leafy things, yams and black grapes were this week's best deals in my store. But I am also looking for canned and bottled things to add to my salads for interest.

[Dianna]

I am on my second container of coconut oil. I like it...

I just hope my cholesterol numbers do, too, when I go back to the doctor...

I found some sea salt...

We are still drinking 2% milk. I forgot, when Jim picked it up at the store, to tell him to get the whole...

We buy Granny Smith apples every time we go to the store for me and Gala apples for Jim, and the makings for a salad...

[Jessica]

I still haven't switched my milk.  I will.

I haven't used the coconut oil yet either. I haven't done much cooking in the last week.  I have no idea what we are having tonight.  I have lots of painting to do.